Oculus Rift may not hit UK retail stores until July -

VR headset Oculus Rift isn't due to launch in UK stores until July, according to a slide revealed during GAME's financial results last week.

Online pre-orders for the headset started shipping to UK customers yesterday, but according to GAME, the device isn't due to arrive in stores for another few months. It won't even be available until after the retail launch of rival VR headset HTC Vive in May, the retailer says, with PlayStation VR to follow up in October.

As reported last week, CEO Martyn Gibbs claimed that Oculus, HTC and Sony all see GAME as being "pretty crucial" to their respective launches, with the company calling itself a "key launch partner" for VR. Rival retailer Currys PC World appears to have secured a deal with HTC Vive, however, with demo stations for the VR unit currently available in a handful of stores across the UK.

Oculus Rift costs £499 in the UK, with HTC Vive costing almost £200 more at £689. PlayStation VR is due to cost £349, but will require an additional PlayStation Camera to operate.